The Gulf Coast League is one of two “complex” leagues run by MLB in the United States, so-called because they are typically run out of team’s spring training complexes. The players are a combination of recent draft picks, young players working on fundamentals, and international players that have either climbed up from or, in the case of the top prospects, skipped the Dominican Summer League completely. The average age of GCL players this season was 19.7.
The GCL Braves were slightly older than league average this season thanks to 2018 draft that only included one player drafted out of high school. Under normal circumstances, college players would mostly go to the more advanced Danville of the Appalachian League, but the sheer numbers of college players coming into the system meant that some had to play in the GCL.
[Read this week’s Sunday Farm Report for a review of the DSL Braves!]
Here are the players that stood out this season.
Infield
The first basemen were college draftees Mason Berne and Ray Hernández. Hernández was a stand-out this season; primarily a third baseman at Alabama State, Hernández played a quality first base and was one of the top hitters on the team with a .283/.357/.486 batting line and 5 home runs, good for a sparkling 135 wRC+.
[Check back with OFR later this week for an exclusive interview with Ray Hernández!]
Braulio Vasquez was the primary second baseman in his second tour of duty in the GCL. Vazquez was a 2016 international signee who was not sanctioned by MLB, and this season he showed he could play a steady second base after a tough year at third last season. Vazquez also added some power to his game, launching his first four home runs of his pro career.
Shortstop was mostly manned by 19-year-old Juan Morales, who signed with Atlanta in the same 2015 class as Cristian Pache and Derian Cruz for a reported $600K bonus. Morales’s calling card is his plus glove, but he has done very little at the plate in his three pro seasons to date.
Third base was initially manned by 20th-round draft pick CJ Alexander, but after hitting .412/.500/.618 after nine games, the Braves quickly moved him to Danville. That allowed the team to turn the hot corner over to Darling Florentino, a 2016 signee who impressed enough in extended spring training to skip the DSL. Florentino only turned 17 in May and acquitted himself well under the circumstances, playing a solid third base and showing some power.
Outfield
Jeremy Fernandez spent his first three seasons in the Braves system as an undersized middle infielder that couldn’t hit enough to stick in the Appalachian League. In his age 20 season Fernandez filled out his frame, moved to centerfield, and discovered his power stroke. Fernandez hit .281/.322/.492 on the season and lead the team with 8 home runs and tied for the lead in stolen bases with 5.
Hernandez was flanked in right for most of the early part of the summer by 32nd-rounder Trey Harris out of Missouri. The Powder Springs native hit .314/.450/.467 in the GCL before parlaying that success into a promotion to Rome.
Eighteen-year-old Dominican Charles Reyes was the primary left fielder and showed a good all-fields approach at the plate. Playing at all three spots was intriguing Cuban signee Christian Zamora, who just turned 17 years old in July but measures 6′-4″ and 210 pounds. Zamora hit two home runs in 30 games and could be a potential power bat as his approach and plate discipline improves.
Catcher
The team’s catching group was a four-headed monster that hit a combined .259/.343/.367 with 7 home runs. Thirty-fifth round draft pick Logan Brown lead the squad in playing time and showed both power and discipline at the plate and a strong arm behind it. The top offensive threat was 20-year-old Victor De Hoyos; in his third season with the organization he hit .293/.353/.457 with 4 home runs. Non-drafted minor league free agent Brandon Chapman has demonstrated solid defense and a strong arm as well has getting on base at a .413 clip.
Pitching
Three of the top arms on the team, righties Tristan Beck, Cameron Kurz, and Victor Vodnik made a combined 10 appearances in a effort to limit their innings after long college seasons and late signings. The bulk of the team’s innings went to international players, the most promising being left-hander Miguel Jerez. Last season’s GCL Pitcher of the Year successfully converted to the rotation, leading the team in innings pitched, and had a 1.75 ERA in his first 8 appearances before fading in his last three starts.
The bullpen featured several intriguing players, especially lefty Gabriel Rodriguez and righties Alex Camacho and Javier Ciriaco. All three have live arms and good command, with Camacho now being stretched with a stint with the Florida Fire Frogs.
TOP 10 2018 GCL BRAVES PROSPECTS:
1. Tristan Beck, RHP
2. Jeremy Fernandez, OF
3. Cameron Kurz, RHP
4. Victor Vodnik, RHP
5. Gabriel Rodriguez, LHP
6. Ray Hernández, 1B
7. Christian Zamora, OF
8. Miguel Jerez, LHP
9. Alex Camacho, RHP
10. Logan Brown, C
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